Significant Object’s first “volume” of stories — by Sheila Heti, Nicholson Baker, Lydia Millet, Colson Whitehead, Jonathan Lethem, and 95 others — ran from July to November 2009. SO v1 was a quasi-anthropological experiment analyzing how inanimate objects become significant via narrative, and it was a literary journal secretly published on eBay. We sold $128.74 worth of thrift-store junk for $3,612.51. All proceeds went to the participating authors.

CLICK HERE for SO v2 | CLICK HERE for SO v3

CLICK HERE to review our policies about COPYRIGHT, PRIVACY, and MORE.

Adam Davies: NUTCRACKER WITH TROLL HAIR

Adam Harrison Levy: STAR OF DAVID PLATE

Aimee Bender: SEAHORSE LIGHTER

Andrew Ervin: IDOL

Annalee Newitz: COCONUT CUP

Annie Nocenti: JFK BUST

Ben Ehrenreich: JAR OF MARBLES

Ben Greenman: SMILING MUG

Ben Katchor: MAINE STATUTES DISH

Betsey Swardlick (Center for Cartoon Studies): DILBERT STRESS TOY

Bruce Holland Rogers: UMBRELLA TRINKET

Bruce Sterling: METAL BOOT

Bruno Maddox: THAI HOOKS

Charles Ardai: ORNAMENTAL SPHERE

Christopher Sorrentino: MR. PICKWICK COAT HOOK

Cintra Wilson: BASKETBALL TROPHY

Claire Zulkey: FRED FLINTSTONE PEZ DISPENSER

Colson Whitehead: WOODEN MALLET

Curtis Sittenfeld: SPOTTED DOGS FIGURINE

David Shields: MILITARY FIGURE

Dean Haspiel: KENTUCKY DISH

Doug Dorst: RUSSIAN FIGURE

Ed Champion: GEISHA BOBBLEHEAD

Ed Park: COW VASE

Glen David Gold: KNEELING MAN FIGURINE

J. Robert Lennon: CHOIRBOY FIGURINE

James Parker: KITTY SAUCER

Jason Grote: DOME DOLL

Jen Collins: UNCOLA GLASS

Jennifer Michael Hecht: “HAKUNA MATATA” FIGURINE

Jenny Davidson: TOY HOT DOG

Jessica Helfand: ELVIS CHOCOLATE TIN

Joanne McNeil: GRAIN THING

Jonathan Goldstein: TOY TOASTER

Jonathan Lethem: MISSOURI SHOTGLASS

Josh Kramer (Center for Cartoon Studies): FAKE BANANA

Kate Bernheimer: PINK HORSE

Katharine Weber: SMALL STAPLER

Kathryn Borel Jr.: SWISS MEDAL

Kevin Brockmeier: ROPE/WOOD MONKEY FIGURINE

Kurt Andersen: SANTA NUTCRACKER

Laura Lippman: MOTEL ROOM KEY

Lauren Mechling: BLUE VASE

Lizzie Skurnick: PEN STAND

Luc Sante: SANKA ASHTRAY

Lucinda Rosenfeld: CREAMER COW

Lydia Millet: CHILI CAT FIGURINE

Margot Livesey: CIGARETTE CASE

Mark Doty: FISH SPOONS

Mark Frauenfelder: MINIATURE BOTTLE

Mark Sarvas: AMOCO YO-YO

Matthew Battles: CANDYLAND LABYRINTH GAME

Matthew De Abaitua: PIGGY BANK

Matthew J. Wells (Slate.com contest winner): BBQ SAUCE JAR

Matthew Klam: DUCK VASE

Matthew Sharpe: MULE FIGURINE

Maud Newton: CRACKER BARREL ORNAMENT

Meg Cabot: WOODEN ANIMAL

Meghan O’Rourke: FELT MOUSE

Merrill Markoe: FLIP-FLOP FRAME

Michael Atkinson: SEA CAPTAIN PIPE REST

Mimi Lipson: HALSTON MUG

Myla Goldberg: HAND HELD BUBBLE BLOWER

Naomi Novik: SAILBOAT STATUE

Nathaniel Rich: RHINO FIGURINE

Nicholson Baker: MEAT THERMOMETER

Nick Asbury: CLOWN FIGURINE

Nomi Kane (Center for Cartoon Studies): ALIEN TOY

R.K. Scher: INDIAN MAIDEN

Rachel Berger: #1 MOM HOOKS

Rebecca Wolff: TIN ARK

Rob Agredo (Six-Word Contest Winner): LIGHTER SHAPED LIKE SMALL POOL BALL

Rob Baedeker: FOPPISH FIGURINE

Rosecrans Baldwin: PRAYING HANDS

Sara Ryan: POPSICLE STICK CONSTRUCTION

Sarah Rainone: IRELAND COW PLATE

Sarah Weinman: UNICORN

Sari Wilson: PENGUIN CREAMER

Sean Howe: PABST BOTTLE OPENER

Sheila Heti: CAPE COD SHOE

Shelley Jackson: CRUMB SWEEPER

Sloane Crosley: RAINBOW SAND ANIMAL

Stacey Levine: BAR MITZVAH BOOKENDS

Stephanie Reents: OCEAN SCENE GLOBE

Stephen Elliott: HAWAIIAN UTENSILS

Stewart O’Nan: DUCK TRAY

Sung J. Woo: BIRD FIGURINE

Susannah Breslin: NECKING TEAM BUTTON

Teddy Blanks: PORCELAIN SCOOTER

Teddy Wayne: WAVE BOX

Terese Svoboda: TOOTHBRUSH HOLDER

Thomas McNeely: CAT MUG

Tim Carvell: ROUND BOX

Todd Levin: ZIGGY HEART

Todd Pruzan: GOLF BALL BANK

Tom Bartlett: DEVICE

Tom Vanderbilt: MARINES (UPSIDE-DOWN) LOGO MUG

Toni Schlesinger: 4 TILE

Victor LaValle: ROOSTER OVEN MITT

William Gibson: HAWK ASHTRAY